Since 1997, the number of kids with a peanut allergy has quadrupled. To combat this growing problem, a new study is taking an alternative approach. Prior to this study, doctors routinely told the parents of kids at risk for a peanut allergy to avoid peanuts for the first two years of life. But new research shows that at risk infants should be introduced to peanuts early to stave off the allergy later, reported on PBS.

Since 1997, the number of kids with peanut allergies has quadrupled. To combat this growing problem, a new study is taking an alternative approach. Prior to this study, doctors routinely told the parents of kids at risk for a peanut allergy to avoid peanuts for the first two years of life. But new research shows that at-risk infants should be introduced to peanuts early to stave off the allergy later.

In all, 2 percent of kids are allergic to peanuts and it’s the leading cause of death from an allergic reaction. It causes a potentially fatal reaction called anaphylaxis as well as itching, swelling of the tongue and throat, constriction of the airway, fainting, and nausea. It’s not a fun allergy to have.

But a new study shows a highly significant difference in those who developed a peanut allergy and those who did not. The study targeted kids who were predisposed because either they had other food allergies or it ran in their families. The study, which was published in the journal The Lancet, found that after 6 months of exposure, up to 91 percent of kids 7-16 could safety ingest five peanuts a day and only 1 in 99 had a serious reaction. The goal of the study was to figure out how to prevent the food allergy in the first place.

The idea for the study came from Israel where because of diet, kids are exposed to peanuts at a much younger age. Incidence of allergy was dramatically lower than in the United Kingdom, so researchers decided to conduct the study.

In another study, the children of non-allergic moms who ate the highest amounts of peanuts during pregnancy had kids with the lowest rates of peanut allergy. According to an accompanying editorial, reported in The New York Times, by Dr. Ruchi Gupta, an associate professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University, “some studies actually showed that avoiding peanuts during pregnancy increased the risk of a child developing peanut sensitization.”

Dr. Gupta went on to say, “pregnant women should not eliminate nuts from their diet, as peanuts are a good source of protein and also provide folic acid,” which can help prevent neural tube defects.

The National Institutes of Health is meeting to look at the study and come up with guidelines. But they advise that there is still no cure for a peanut allergy once you have one. This is to prevent people from getting them in the first place. It’s also asking parents to wait for the release of its guidelines before changing their practice in order to avoid any serious reaction in kids that may be susceptible. But this does mark a huge change in thinking about the way we view food allergies for parents and doctors alike and a hope that this will help reverse the course of treatment.

Food intolerance and ethics are tricky subjects at many family dinner tables. But when your food issues clash--think vegan and Paleo--you can have some serious dinnertime drama when it comes to dietary restrictions. Implement our five ways to survive mixed food issues at family dinner to survive the struggle with ease.

Food intolerance and ethics are tricky subjects at many family dinner tables. But when your food issues clash–think vegan and Paleo–you can have some serious dinnertime drama when it comes to dietary restrictions. Implement our five ways to survive mixed food issues at family dinner to survive the struggle with ease.

Our family has several dietary restrictions. I’m a gluten-free (mostly) vegetarian and my daughter is dairy and nightshade intolerant. Between those two issues and the fact that the rest of the family eats meat, we’ve had a few challenges with eating one dinner. Through the years we’ve developed these tactics to enjoy eating together while taking into consideration everyone’s dietary restrictions.

1. Build-Your-Own Buffet: Instead of prepping a one-pot dish that only half the family will eat, try buffet style eating. Now, I’m not talking making three entrees. For instance, prepare all the fixins for tacos or burritos or even salads. Keep everything separate and allow each person to build their own version of the dish.

2. Protein on the Side: You can still make casseroles and even soups for the entire family. Just make the base–such as the rice or the soup–and cook the chicken and chickpeas, for example, separately. Each person can add their own protein at the table.

3. Sides Aplenty: Can’t figure out how to craft one dish for the entire family? Don’t! Serve a protein or two with lots of side dishes so everyone’s happy.

4. Grain-Free and Meatless: To accommodate nearly everyone at the table, you can’t go wrong with meatless and grain-free. Serve meatless, grain-feel meals several times per week to accommodate everyone and reduce your food prep stress. You don’t have to have meat with every meal, but if your meaty folks need something toothsome, try a few of our red meat substitutes.

Lactose intolerance in kids, especially those past the age of two and in the midst of potty training, can be tough to diagnose and treat. Knowing the signs of allergies and intolerance in your kids can be a huge help and save you tons of headaches and frustration. If your child exhibits some of these seven symptoms of lactose intolerance, consider a dairy elimination diet.

Lactose intolerance in kids, especially those past the age of 2 and in the midst of potty training, can be tough to diagnose and treat. Knowing the signs of allergies and intolerance in your kids can be a huge help and save you tons of headaches and frustration. If your child exhibits some of these seven symptoms of lactose intolerance, consider a dairy elimination diet.

The Science of Lactose Intolerance

Why age 2? While some babies are born intolerant, others develop issues with lactose between ages 2 and 5. Most babies are born with lactase enzymes in their stomachs. But, by age 2, when most babies are no longer feeding from their mothers, some have expended the lactase reservoir. Lactose intolerance is completely normal in a human child. In fact, most adults have some degree of intolerance by age 20.

Pasteurization doesn’t help matters. Once milk is pasteurized, nutrients and lactase from the mama cow are destroyed. Raw milk contains lactase and can be easier to digest for those with intolerance issues. So, know that drinking store-bought milk is very likely to cause some degree of intolerance in most people. Those with the following seven symptoms of intolerance should consider lactase enzyme supplementation or dairy elimination diets for two weeks to determine whether dairy is an issue.

Signs and Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance in Children

1. Diarrhea or acidic poop: This is the sign that parents find the most frustrating. With my own lactose-intolerant daughter, potty training became a nightmare due to regular, uncontrollable and runny bowel movements. The bacteria in your child’s colon is combining with the waste and making it acidic because the lactose can’t be digested in the small intestine.

2. Stomach pain, cramping and nausea: When the small intestine isn’t able to digest food, cramps and stomach pain can occur. Nausea, and even vomiting, can occur in extreme cases.

3. Gas and grumbling: Flatulence and a noisy, grumbling belly can occur while your child’s body attempts to digest dairy.

4. Skin rash: A red rash within a few days of eating dairy can occur in some lactose intolerant children. For my own daughter, her bum and arms tended to break out in small red bumps after dairy consumption.

5. Frequent colds and runny nose: The gut is a big factor in the body’s immune system. The inability to digest milk means the gut flora are out of whack. Excess mucous will get discharged after it builds up within the child’s body from attempts at dairy digestion.

For the first time ever, the federal government has issued voluntary guidelines designed to help schools protect young students who suffer from food allergies.

With the recent rise in food allergies, especially among elementary school-aged children, many schools have taken the initiative to create their own cautionary policies. According to SF Gate, about 15 states—and numerous individual schools or school districts—already have policies of their own. The guidelines recently released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are the first step toward standardized food allergy safety rules at the federal level.

“The voluntary guidelines call on schools to take such steps as restricting nuts, shellfish or other foods that can cause allergic reactions, and make sure emergency allergy medicine—like EpiPens—are available,” reports SF Gate.

The rules on food allergies also advise schools to identify children with food allergies, have a plan to prevent exposures and manage any reactions, train teachers or others how to use medicines like epinephrine injectors, or have medical staff to do the job, plan parties or field trips free of foods that might cause a reaction;,and designate someone to carry epinephrine, and make sure classroom activities don’t exclude those with food allergies.

A recent CDC survey estimates that about 1 in 20 U.S. children has food allergies—a 50 percent increase from the late 1990s. Studies have linked the rise in food allergies to everything from GMOs, to household chemicals, and pesticides in the water supply. Peanuts, tree nuts, milk and shellfish are among the food that most often most trigger reactions.

You've been bloated, gassy, crampy, and just plain miserable for weeks. You're too tired to exercise - and even more tragic - you can't fit into your skinny jeans anymore. Before you reach for that MuMu or another roll of Tums, you might want to ask your doctor if you could be suffering from Leaky Gut Syndrome.

You’ve been bloated, gassy, crampy, and just plain miserable for weeks. You’re too tired to exercise – and even more tragic – you can’t fit into your skinny jeans anymore. Before you reach for that MuMu or another roll of Tums, you might want to ask your doctor if you could be suffering from Leaky Gut Syndrome.

What is Leaky Gut Syndrome?

Most people are surprised to learn that the small intestine is the largest organ in the body, and houses two-thirds of your immune system within its walls. The lining of the small intestine acts as a barrier, allowing only necessary nutrients to pass through into the blood stream. But sometimes, gaps develop between the cells in the lining, and then in comes the riffraff: undigested food, bacteria and metabolic waste (yuck!), hence the term “leaky gut.” These toxins now floating freely through the blood stream put stress on the immune system and lead to tummy troubles as well as fatigue, skin rashes, joint pain, infection and allergies.

Causes of Leaky Gut Syndrome

A poorly understood and difficult to recognize disorder, Leaky Gut Syndrome is usually diagnosed after an underlying condition such as Celiac, Crohn’s or Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) has been ruled out.

Then it’s time to look at potential lifestyle factors such as:

Diet: Many believe that food allergies are the main culprit behind Leaky Gut Syndrome. For some individuals, eating certain foods such as gluten can trigger an inflammatory response that weakens the walls of the small intestine.

Chronic Stress: Whether the stress is mental, emotional or physical, the body reacts the same way by releasing hormones including cortisol, which triggers the fight-or-flight response. This continued emotional stress can suppress your immune system leading to bacterial overgrowth, infection and a leaky gut. The food allergens then pass into the bloodstream causing the immune system to launch a “Code Red” response, and the results are not pretty: migraines, joint pain, rashes, depression, diarrhea, fatigue, asthma and weight gain.

Other theories on what causes Leaky Gut Syndrome include the consumption of too much aspirin or too much sugar, the buildup of environmental toxins in the body, and antibiotic overuse. Genetically modified organisms have also been pinpointed as a possible culprit.

How to Reduce Leaky Gut Symptoms

There are actually a number of things you can try to help identify and then ease the symptoms that come with Leaky Gut Syndrome:

• Eliminate the most common food allergens such as gluten, dairy, eggs, corn, yeast, peanuts and soy for 3 weeks. If you feel better, reintroduce one food item each week to discover which are causing the discomfort.

• Avoid alcohol, sugar, processed foods and refined flours.

• Incorporate more plant-based, whole-foods into your diet to help eliminate toxic waste.

In September 2000, the trademarked genetically modified corn variety known as StarLink was found in corn tortillas, although it was only approved for animal feed at the time. The discovery led to more than 30 cases of varying human health reactions, with at least seven of those consistent with symptoms common in severe food allergies. The situation brought attention to issues with GMO foods, namely food allergies, which are dramatically on the rise. According to the Centers for Disease Control, between 1997 and 2007 food allergies in the U.S. increased nearly 20 percent, with peanut allergies nearly tripling during that same period, which also corresponds directly to the rise in the four most commonly planted GMO seeds in the U.S.: Corn, soy, canola and cotton. Is there a connection between genetically modified foods and food allergies?

In September 2000, the trademarked genetically modified corn variety known as StarLink was found in corn tortillas, although it was only approved for animal feed at the time. The discovery led to more than 30 cases of varying human health reactions, with at least seven of those consistent with symptoms common in severe food allergies. The situation brought attention to issues with GMO foods, namely food allergies, which are dramatically on the rise. According to the Centers for Disease Control, between 1997 and 2007 food allergies in the U.S. increased nearly 20 percent, with peanut allergies nearly tripling during that same period, which also corresponds directly to the rise in the four most commonly planted GMO seeds in the U.S.: Corn, soy, canola and cotton. Is there a connection between genetically modified foods and food allergies?

Among the growing concerns about genetically modified foods entering the U.S. food supply (More than 70 percent of processed foods already contain GMOs in the U.S. says the California Department of Food and Agriculture) is the way altered seeds affect the human body. Proteins are the most common part of a food that can cause an allergic reaction and are also most commonly altered through genetic modification, increasing the potential for triggering an allergic reaction. While a genetically modified protein may not always result in food allergy, individuals with pre-existing food sensitivities are of a particularly high risk for more severe reactions.

A study conducted by the York Laboratory in 1999 found a link connecting an increase in GMO soy imports to the UK to a 50 percent increase in the nation’s soy allergies. And according to Jeffrey Smith, a leading authority on genetically modified foods, soybeans and peanuts have at least one common protein that can trigger reactions to both, which may correlate to rising peanut allergies mirroring the rise in genetically modified soy. In addition to the risks presented by GMO seeds, some farmers exposed to pesticides including Bt (B. thuringiensis ) often used in GMO crops, developed skin sensitivities and other allergic symptoms after exposure.

While more research is still needed on the human health risks of consuming genetically modified foods, individuals with sensitivities can decrease their risks by avoiding the most common GMO crops, and by avoiding conventionally raised animal products (meat, poultry, eggs, dairy and fish), who are commonly fed genetically modified seeds and grains.

New research published in the journal Pediatrics indicates that far more children in the U.S. suffer from food allergies than suspected, with 8 percent of children under age 18 (nearly 6 million) having at least one food allergy. These numbers are more than double what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released in 2007.

New research published in the journal Pediatricsindicates that far more children in the U.S. suffer from food allergies than suspected, with 8 percent of children under age 18 (nearly 6 million) having at least one food allergy. These numbers are more than double what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released in 2007.

Forty thousand households across the country participated in online interviews for the study and, according to the lead study author and assistant professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Dr. Ruchi Gupta, “Based on our data, about one in 13 children has a food allergy,” with two of every five affected by severe food allergies, “which could lead to difficulty breathing, sharp drops in blood pressure and even death.”

According to the CDC there are eight major types of food allergies that cause 90 percent of reactions amongst children: Milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat. Some experts believe that allergies like these are inherited traits from parents, but there are key findings that suggest a correlation between certain factors in the environment (pollution, cigarettes) that can trigger the immune system to respond as if it were being attacked. Emotional factors such as stress may also play a role in the development of certain allergies. The study did not provide any clarity as to whether or not genetically modified ingredients, pesticides or food additives were contributing factors.

Food intolerances such as lactose intolerance or gluten sensitivity often do not affect people in the same way as allergies, with the main issue among intolerances often being digestive disturbances. Typical allergic reactions include: Swelling of lips and face, hives, itching, flushing or eczema flare, with more severe symptoms, like the life-threatening anaphylaxis, which includes wheezing, trouble breathing, vomiting, persistent coughing and dangerous swelling of the airways.